Conventionally new toothbrushes are packaged in very thin walled rigid plastic transparent cases which are discarded after opening. Such cases are not suitable for later storage use as travel cases, or the like, because they are of rigid plastic materials that are easily broken on impact. Furthermore original packaging cases are not constructed with carefully controlled dimensions or mating structure that serves to reliably contain toothbrushes in storage. When stored, the travel cases may be impacted by other items such as glass bottles with significant forces tending to shatter the thin rigid plastic casings.
While there have been dual purpose cases serving both as original packages and later storage holders for toothbrushes, they have had deficiencies that for example prevented them from reliably storing toothbrushes in a sanitary manner. If for example the cases are not tightly closed, the toothbrush may be subjected to entry of dirt, grime or germs. Also they may be stored under conditions that are not sanitary.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,626 to H. B. Lermer, the "permanent" storage case provided would not serve well in a travel case environment where subjected to stresses and forces that could remove the lid or cover portion of the case and thus lose the ability to serve as a sanitary sanctuary for the toothbrush.
The same deficiency is even more pronounced in U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,057 to E. S. Tupper wherein the lid has structure particularly susceptible to encountering removal forces in a travel case environment, for example. Furthermore this case is hermetically sealed, and thus is not well adapted to occasional use and storage as a travel case. If a toothbrush is stored in damp condition in a hermetically sealed compartment as here provided, it can encourage growth of bacteria.
It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide an improved case which can serve both as an original case and thereafter as a permanent travel case particularly adapted for occasional use and storage with other articles that may exert forces tending to crush the case or to disengage a closure lid portion of a storage case.